Order Code RL31146
Foreign Students in the United States:
Policies and Legislation
Updated December 8, 2006
Chad C. Haddal
Analyst in Immigration Policy
Domestic Social Policy Division
Foreign Students in the United States:
Policies and Legislation
Summary
Five years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by foreign nationals
— including several terrorists on students visas — the security concerns over foreign
student visas are being weighed against competitiveness concerns. Potential foreign
students, as well as all aliens, must satisfy Department of State (DOS) consular
officers abroad and immigration inspectors upon entry to the United States that they
are not ineligible for visas under the so-called “grounds for inadmissibility” of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, which include security and terrorist concerns. The
consular officers who process visa applicants are required to check the National
Counterterrorism Center’s (NCTC) automated lookout systems before issuing any
visa. In part because of these security measures, student visa debates have expanded
to include both security and market-based discussions.
Higher education institutions in the United States are concerned over their
ability to attract the numbers and quality of foreign students, and whether the post-
September 11 security measures impede the entry of potential students into the U.S.
education system. The fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) increasingly rely on foreign students, and these fields hold a top priority
with most research institutions. Furthermore, the U.S. economy has a high demand
for the skill-sets produced in these fields of study, and the STEM students often
provide a major link between the academic community and the labor market.
Consequently many groups in higher education and the private sector are seeking to
expand pathways for foreign students to emigrate.
All nonimmigrant students are issued visas from one of three categories, and are
monitored and tracked by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The three
visa categories used by foreign students are F visas for academic study; M visas for
vocational study; and J visas for cultural exchange. The numbers admitted have
more than doubled over the past two decades. In FY1979, the total number of
foreign student and cultural exchange visas issued by DOS consular officers was
224,030 and comprised 4% of all nonimmigrant visas issued. In FY2005, DOS
issued 565,790 visas to F, J, and M nonimmigrants, making up 10.5% of all
nonimmigrant visas issued. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
(SEVIS) aims to manage the tracking and monitoring of foreign students.
Participation in the SEVIS program is now mandatory for all higher education
institutions enrolling foreign students.
Issues and legislation related to foreign students continue to arise. The funding
and English-language competency of foreign students have raised concerns with
some universities, advocacy groups, and other observers. Additionally, some recent
legislation has focused on attracting foreign students in STEM fields. Legislation
passed in the Senate (S. 2611) would create pathways to citizenship for foreign
students in the STEM fields of study. Although there are provisions in this legislation
for undergraduate students, the major focus has been on students obtaining advanced
degrees. This report will be updated as warranted.
Contents
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Foreign Student Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
F Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
J Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
M Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Duration of Status Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Processing, Screening, and Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Agency Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Screening Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Security Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Trends and Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Current Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Foreign Students and Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Foreign Students and Language Competence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
New Pathways to Permanent Residence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Legislation in the 109th Congress
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
SKIL Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
List of Figures
Figure 1. F, J, and M Nonimmigrant Visas Issued in FY2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 2. Region of Origin for F, J, and M Nonimmigrants, FY2005 . . . . . . . . 10
Figure 3. Academic Levels of Foreign Students, 2004-2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Figure 4. Major Fields of Study for Foreign Students, 2004-2005 . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Foreign Students in the United States:
Policies and Legislation
Background1
Since the Immigration Act of 1924, the United States has expressly permitted
foreign students to study in U.S. institutions. Most foreign students are at least 18
years old and are enrolled in higher education programs. If they attend public high
schools in the United States, the law requires that foreign students pay tuition, with
some exceptions. It also bars the admission of foreign students for the purpose of
attending public elementary schools. Although foreign students are also barred from
receiving federal financial assistance, many are successful at gaining financial
assistance from the colleges and universities they attend.2
Foreign students are generally considered to enrich cultural diversity of the
educational experience for U.S. residents as well as enhance the reputation of U.S.
universities as world-class institutions. Concerns have arisen in recent years that
have caused Congress to take a new look at the Immigration and Nationality Act
(INA) provisions that govern their admission. The September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks conducted by foreign nationals — including several terrorists on foreign
student visas — raised a series of questions about foreign students in the United
States, their rights and privileges, the extent to which the U.S. government monitors
their presence in this country, and whether U.S. policy hampers the ability of
domestic higher education institutions to attract foreign students.
Foreign Student Visas
There are three main avenues for students from other countries to temporarily
come to the United States to study, and each involves admission as a nonimmigrant.
A nonimmigrant is an alien legally in the United States for a specific purpose and a
temporary period of time. There are more than 20 major nonimmigrant visa
categories, and they are commonly referred to by the letter that denotes their
1 This report was originally authored by Ruth Ellen Wasem.
2 T.B. Hoffer, V. Welch, Jr., K. Williams, M. Hess, K. Webber, B. Lisek, D. Loew, and I.
Guzman-Barron, Doctorate Recipients from United States Universities: Summary Report
2004 (Chicago: National Opinion Research Center, 2005). (The report gives the results of
data collected in the Survey of Earned Doctorates, conducted for six federal agencies, NSF,
NIH, USED, NEH, USDA, and NASA by NORC), p.60.
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subsection in the law.3 The three visa categories used by foreign students are F visas
for academic study; M visas for vocational study; and J visas for cultural exchange.
F Visa
The most common visa for foreign students is the F-1 visa. It is tailored for
international students pursuing a full-time academic education. The F-1 student is
generally admitted as a nonimmigrant for the period of the program of study, referred
to as the duration of status.4 The law requires that the student have a foreign
residence that they have no intention of abandoning. Their spouses and children may
accompany them as F-2 nonimmigrants.
To obtain an F-1 visa, prospective students also must demonstrate that they have
met several criteria:
! They must be accepted by a school that has been approved by the
Attorney General.5
! They must document that they have sufficient funds or have made
other arrangements to cover all of their expenses for 12 months.6
! They must demonstrate that they have the scholastic preparation to
pursue a full course of study for the academic level to which they
wish to be admitted and must have a sufficient knowledge of English
(or have made arrangements with the school for special tutoring, or
study in a language the student knows).
Once in the United States on an F visa, nonimmigrants are generally barred from
off-campus employment. Exceptions are for extreme financial hardship that arises
after arriving in the United States and for employment with an international
organization.7 F students are permitted to engage in on-campus employment if the
employment does not displace a U.S. resident. In addition, F students are permitted
to work in practical training that relates to their degree program, such as paid
research and teaching assistantships. An alien on an F visa who otherwise accepts
employment violates the terms of the visa and is subject to removal and other
penalties discussed later in this report.
3 §101(a)(15) of INA.
4 Those entering as secondary school students are only admitted for one year.
5 Schools that wish to receive foreign students must file a petition with DHS district director.
The particular supporting documents for the petition depend on the nature of the petitioning
school. Once a school is approved, it can continue to receive foreign students without any
time limits; however, the approval may be withdrawn if DHS discovers that the school has
failed to comply with the law or regulations.
6 F, J, and M students are barred from federal financial aid. See §484(a)(5) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended.
7 The Immigration Act of 1990 created an F-1 pilot employment program, but authority for
this pilot off-campus work program expired Sept. 30, 1996.
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J Visa
Foreign students are just one of many types of aliens who may enter the United
States on a J-1 visa, sometimes referred to as the Fulbright program. Others admitted
under this cultural exchange visa include scholars, professors, teachers, trainees,
specialists, foreign medical graduates, international visitors, au pairs, and participants
in student travel/work programs. Those seeking admission as a J-1 nonimmigrant
must be participating in a cultural exchange program that the U.S. Department of
State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (BECA)8 has designated. They
are admitted for the period of the program.9 Their spouses and children may
accompany them as J-2 nonimmigrants.
Responsible officers of the sponsoring organizations must be U.S. citizens. The
programs that wish to sponsor J visas also must satisfy the following criteria:
! be a bona fide educational and cultural exchange program, with
clearly defined purposes and objectives;
! have at least five exchange visitors annually;
! provide cross-cultural activities;
! be reciprocal whenever possible;
! if not sponsored by the government, have a minimum stay for
participants of at least three weeks (except for those designated as
“short term” scholars);
! provide information verifying the sponsoring program’s legal status,
citizenship, accreditation, and licensing;
! show that they are financially stable, able to meet the financial
commitments of the program, and have funds for the J
nonimmigrant’s return airfare;
! ensure that the program is not to fill staff vacancies or adversely
affect U.S. workers;
! assure that participants have accident insurance, including insurance
for medical evacuations; and
! provide full details of the selection process, placement, evaluation,
and supervision of participants.10
As with F visas, those seeking J visas must have a foreign residence they have
no intention of abandoning. However, many of those with J visas have an additional
foreign residency requirement in that they must return abroad for two years if they
wish to adjust to any other nonimmigrant status or to become a legal permanent
resident in the United States. This foreign residency requirement applies to J
nonimmigrants who meet any of the three following conditions:
8 This bureau was formerly the United States Information Agency (USIA).
9 As with secondary students entering with F-1 visas, J-1 students in secondary school
programs are only admitted for up to one year.
10 22 CFR §514.
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! An agency of the U.S. government or their home government
financed in whole or in part — directly or indirectly — their
participation in the program.
! The BECA designates their home country as clearly requiring the
services or skills in the field they are pursuing.
! They are coming to the United States to receive graduate medical
training.
There are very few exceptions to the foreign residency requirement for J visa
holders who meet any of these criteria — even J visa holders who marry U.S. citizens
are required to return home for two years.11 Although many aliens with J-1 visas are
permitted to work in the programs in which they are participating, the work
restrictions for foreign students with a J-1 visa are similar to those for the F visa.
M Visa
Foreign students who wish to pursue a non-academic (e.g., vocational) course
of study apply for an M visa. This visa is the least used of the foreign student visas.
Much as the F students, those seeking an M visa must show that they have been
accepted by an approved school, have the financial means to pay for tuition and
expenses and otherwise support themselves for one year, and have the scholastic
preparation and language skills appropriate for the course of study. Their spouses
and children may accompany them as M-2 nonimmigrants. As with all of the student
visa categories, they must have a foreign residence they have no intention of
abandoning. Those with M visas are also barred from working in the United States,
including in on-campus employment.
Duration of Status Visa
Although most nonimmigrants are admitted with visas that have a precise
expiration date, foreign postsecondary students are admitted for “duration of status,”
which lasts as long as they are full-time students or participating according to the
terms of their exchange programs. It is difficult for DHS to know when foreign
students have overstayed because the duration of status lacks a fixed termination date
and schools, although required to report students who stop attending, have not been
required until recently to systematically report data on the progress of the foreign
student (see below).
For many years, a foreign student was admitted for only one year and had to
renew his or her visa each subsequent year for as long as he or she was enrolled. The
former-INS then issued regulations in 1978 and 1981 allowing for visa validity
periods longer than one year. In regulations in 1983 and 1987 that were aimed at
“eliminating burdensome paperwork,” the same agency reduced the reporting
11 INA §212(e) provides only a few exceptions, including cases of exceptional hardship to
the spouse or child of a J-1 if that spouse or child is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
alien and in cases of persecution on the basis of race, religion, or political opinion if the
alien returned home, and if it is in the national interest not to require the return.
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requirements and established the “duration of status” policy that remains in practice
currently.12
Processing, Screening, and Reporting
Agency Involvement
Nonimmigrant foreign students are processed by four different federal agencies
during their tenure as applicants to and foreign students at United States higher
education institutions. The first U.S. institution involved is the Department of State
(DOS), which conducts the applicant interviews and either grants or rejects the visa
applications. Once a nonimmigrant arrives at a United States port of entry, the
individual receives an inspection by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The
student’s arrival is reported to the Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) for
entry in to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). After
entry, the alien’s academic institution is responsible for reporting information to the
SEVIS database. The SEVIS information is then shared with DOS, CBP, and the
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The latter agency is responsible
for adjudicating any adjustments in visa status the foreign students wishes to make.
Screening Procedures
Potential foreign students, as well as all aliens, must satisfy DOS’s consular
officers abroad and DHS inspectors upon entry to the United States that they are not
ineligible for visas under the so-called “grounds for inadmissibility” of the INA.
These criteria include security and terrorist concerns as well as health-related grounds
and criminal history.13 Some provisions may be waived/overcome in the cases of
nonimmigrants, refugees, and certain other aliens. To become a nonimmigrant,
aliens also must demonstrate that they are not “intending immigrants” (i.e., wanting
to reside permanently in the United States).14
In terms of criminal, security and terrorist concerns, the consular officers who
process visa applicants are required to check the National Counterterrorism Center’s
(NCTC) automated lookout systems before issuing any visa; thus, the names of
foreign students are run through various databases, as are those of all other
nonimmigrants seeking a visa to enter the United States. In FY2005, DOS identified
12 Federal Register, vol. 44, Nov. 22, 1978, p. 54620; Federal Register, vol. 46, Jan. 23,
1981, p. 7267; Federal Register, vol. 48, Apr. 5, 1983, p. 14575; and Federal Register, vol.
52, Apr. 22, 1987, p. 13223.
13 §212(a) of INA lists the grounds for inadmissibility categories as: health-related grounds;
criminal history; security and terrorist concerns; public charge (e.g., indigence); seeking to
work without proper labor certification; illegal entrants and immigration law violations;
lacking proper documents; ineligible for citizenship; and, aliens previously removed. For
more information, see CRS Report RS20916, Immigration and Naturalization
Fundamentals, by Ruth Ellen Wasem.
14 For background and analysis of visa issuance policy and activities, see CRS Report
RL31512, Visa Issuances: Policy, Issues, and Legislation, by Ruth Ellen Wasem.
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333 potential nonimmigrants (i.e., foreign nationals coming temporarily) as
inadmissible because of security or terrorist concerns.15 In comparison, DOS
identified 7,454 potential nonimmigrants as inadmissible on criminal grounds in
FY2005. It is not known how many, if any, of these potential nonimmigrants were
seeking to enter the United States on student visas.
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 originally included a requirement
that all visa applicants be fingerprinted, with waivers for A visa (diplomats) and G
visa (representatives of international organizations) nonimmigrants.16 The statutory
requirement for fingerprinting nonimmigrants was repealed in 1986, but the Attorney
General still has the discretionary authority to require fingerprints of aliens applying
for nonimmigrant visas “for the purposes of identification and investigation.”17
Security Concerns
In 1995, the former-INS began a review of the admission and monitoring of
foreign students. Impetus for the review came in part from former Federal Bureau of
Investigation Director Louis Freeh who expressed concern that possible terrorists
could use foreign student status as a way of entering the United States.18 Those
concerned with the security risks of the foreign student visa often pointed out that
one of the men convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center terrorist bombing had
entered the United States on a student visa, dropped out of school, and yet stayed in
the country.
Former INS Commissioner Doris Meisner emphasized plans to automate a
foreign student reporting and monitoring system when she testified before the Senate
Committee on the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Immigration in 1995.19 The former-
INS had not been maintaining the addresses of foreign students, and reviews of the
reporting system questioned the accuracy of the data.20 The National Commission on
Terrorism, a bi-partisan commission established by Congress, cited the vulnerability
15 The inadmissibility of members and supporters of foreign terrorist organizations can be
waived under §212(d), which provides the Attorney General with that authority, if he deems
that it is in the national interest to do so. Such waivers are usually granted at the request of
the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Attorney General.
16 Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, P.L. 82-414.
17 Immigration and Nationality Amendments of 1986, P.L. 99-653. See CRS Report
RL31570, Immigration: Alien Registration, by Andorra Bruno.
18 For a discussion of Mr. Freeh’s memorandum, see Interpreter Releases, vol. 71, Dec. 19,
1994.
19 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Examining Nonimmigrant
Immigration Issues, hearing, 104th Cong., 1st sess., Sept. 28, 1995, S.Hrg. 104-814, Serial
No. J-104-48 (Washington: GPO, 1995).
20 There have long been record keeping requirements for schools with foreign students
covering such information as name, address, country of citizenship, enrollment status, and
field of study. The regulations were revised in 1983 so that schools no longer had to report
changes in status directly to the former-INS. Since 1983, schools have had 3 business days
to respond to requests for information about a foreign student. DHS can bar schools that did
not meet record keeping requirements from enrolling foreign students. (8 CFR §214.3(g)(1))
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of the foreign student visa in its June 2000 report, which recommended, among other
things, that the former-INS automated system to monitor foreign students be
enhanced and expanded.21 Reports that several of the terrorists involved in the
September 11 attacks entered the United States on foreign student visas led many
others to echo earlier calls for a better monitoring system.
Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
When Congress enacted the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996, it added statutory language mandating that the
Attorney General (now Secretary of Homeland Security), in consultation with the
Secretaries of State and Education, develop by January 1, 1998, a program to collect
data on F, J, and M nonimmigrants from at least five countries. By 2003, the data
collection requirement included all countries. This provision, §641 of IIRIRA,
requires that DHS collect the following data elements:
! identity and address of the alien;
! nonimmigrant classification of the alien, date of visa issuance, and
any change or extension;
! academic status of the alien (e.g., full-time enrollment); and
! any disciplinary action taken by the school, college, or university as
a result of a crime committed by the alien.
DHS is to collect the information electronically “where practical.” According to
§641 of IIRIRA, educational institutions are required to report this information to
DHS as a condition of continued approval to enroll foreign students.22
From June 1997 to October 1999, the former-INS conducted the first pilot
program known as the Coordinated Interagency Partnership Regulating International
Students (CIPRIS) at 21 educational institutions in Georgia, Alabama, North
Carolina, and South Carolina, at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport, and at the former-INS
Texas Service Center. In July 2001, the former-INS announced that the second phase
of its foreign student monitoring system, referred to as the Student and Exchange
Visitor Information System (SEVIS), would begin at 12 Boston area institutions.
According to published SEVIS statistics, there are currently 8,471 SEVIS-approved
schools and 5,639 of them have at least one SEVIS student actively enrolled.23
Prior to September 11, 2001, some university officials argued they would be
turned into an enforcement agent of the former-INS and expressed concern that the
21 National Commission on Terrorism, Countering the Changing Threat of International
Terrorism, June 5, 2000. For a discussion of this report, see CRS Report RS20598, National
Commission on Terrorism Report: Background and Issues for Congress, by Raphael F. Perl.
22 The law also required, as of Apr. 1, 1997, that the educational institutions collect a fee
(not to exceed $100) from each of the foreign students to remit to the Attorney General to
carry out the program. The 106th Congress amended this provision so that INS rather then
the institutions would collect the fee (P.L. 106-396).
23 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “Full List of Schools by Active Student
Enrollment,” Oct. 2, 2006, at [http://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/school_by_enroll.pdf].
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confidentiality of their student records would be compromised.24 Although
educational institutions stopped their calls to repeal §641 of IIRIRA after the terrorist
attacks and now support a tracking system, many educational institutions across the
country expressed frustration about these new reporting requirements. They argued
that the SEVIS is burdensome and that DHS is not providing training to staff who
must use SEVIS.25 Despite these complaints, ICE has subsequently indicated SEVIS
is operational for all incoming students. All continuing foreign students were
required to be entered into SEVIS as of August 2003.26
Following the full implementation of SEVIS in 2003, legislative activity on
foreign student security has remained relatively calm. High profile incidents have
positively contributed to the SEVIS image with the general public. Notably, the
SEVIS security measures resulted in the detection of several instances of
unaccounted alien students, including some as recent as the summer of 2006. In this
high profile incident, 11 Egyptian student visa holders were admitted at U.S. ports
of entry, but never reported to classes or to the appropriate SEVIS officials at
Montana State University. University officials reported the absence to DHS, which
was able to locate and apprehend six of the 11 students and continue to search for the
other missing students.27 Incidents such as this one are generally accepted as
indicators that SEVIS is working as intended.
At this time, most observers view the SEVIS system as adequate for monitoring
students and alerting authorities to suspicious behavior or unlawful movement. Yet,
concerns continue with respect to whether increased security is detracting from the
United States’ ability to attract the number and quality of foreign students that higher
education proponents advocate. The fields of science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) have become particularly dependent upon foreign students, and
these fields hold a top priority with most research institutions. Furthermore, the U.S.
economy has a high demand for the skill-sets produced in these fields of study, and
the STEM students can provide a major link between the academic community and
the labor market. Consequently, with security measures now implemented, many
groups in higher education and the private sector are seeking to develop pathways to
immigration for foreign students.
24 Interpreter Releases, vol. 74, Mar. 17, 1997.
25 Statement of Terry W. Hartle, American Council on Education, in U.S. Congress, House
Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims,
hearing, INS’s Implementation of the Foreign Student Tracking Program, Sept. 18, 2002,
at [http://www.house.gov/judiciary/immigration.htm].
26 Federal Register, vol. 67, no. 238, Dec. 11, 2002, pp. 76256-76280.
27 CNN, “Six Egyptian Students in Custody,” Aug. 10, 2006, available at
[http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/10/egyptian.students/index.html]
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Trends and Characteristics
Foreign students have been coming to study in the United States for almost a
century, and the numbers admitted have more than doubled over the past two
decades. In FY1979, the total number of F and J visas issued by DOS consular
officers was 224,030 and comprised 4% of all nonimmigrant visas issued.28 In
FY1989, the number of F, M, and J visas had grown to 373,932, constituting 5% of
all nonimmigrant visas DOS issued. By FY2005, the most recent year data are
available, DOS had issued 518,915 visas to F, J, and M nonimmigrants, and these
categories made up 8% of all nonimmigrant visas issued.29 As Figure 1 illustrates,
J cultural exchange visitors lead with 303,822 visas issued in FY2005. The F
academic students followed with 255,993, and the M students trailed with only 5,975
visas issued in FY2005.
Figure 1. F, J, and M Nonimmigrant Visas Issued in FY2005
Visas Issued
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Academic (F)
Cultural Exchange (J)
Vocational (M)
Visa Category
Students & Exchange Visitors
Family
Source: CRS Presentation of U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs data on 518,915 visas issued.
The largest sending regions of the world are Asia and Europe, as Figure 2
depicts. Although Asia had led with well over half of all student visas for many
years, the latest available data show Europe having 40.7% and Asia having 40.31%
of the 589,368 visas issued to F, J, and M nonimmigrants in FY2005. North and
South American countries had smaller portions, with 5.08% and 8.39% respectively.
Africa and Oceania combined constitute only 5.51% of the visas issued in FY2005.
28 The M visa was not established until 1981 by P.L. 97-116.
29 Source is the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
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Figure 2. Region of Origin for F, J, and M Nonimmigrants,
FY2005
Other
5.51%
South America
8.39%
North America
5.08%
Asia
40.31%
Europe
40.70%
Source: CRS Presentation of U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs data on 518,915 visas issued.
According to International Educational Exchange’s Open Doors survey of U.S.
colleges and universities, the largest group (45.99%) of foreign students enrolled in
2004-2005 were in graduate degree programs. As Figure 3 presents, the second
largest portion (30.59%) were enrolled in undergraduate degree programs. An
additional 12.17% were enrolled in associate degree programs. Foreign students
enrolled in other programs (including practical training programs) comprised
11.26%.30
30 Trade schools, such as flight schools, generally do not participate in this privately-
conducted annual survey.
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Figure 3. Academic Levels of Foreign Students, 2004-2005
Associate’s
Other
11.26%
12.17%
Bachelor's
30.59%
Graduate
45.99%
Source: CRS Presentation of International Educational Exchange Open Doors Data on 564,766 students.
The fields of study undertaken by foreign students appear to be quite diverse,
as Figure 4 shows. The largest category is business, which is the field of study for
20% of foreign students. Engineering along with mathematics and computer sciences
follow with 17% and 9%, respectively. The number of students participating in
optional practical training has seen a marked increase in the last couple of years and
currently accounts for 8% of foreign students’ major study fields.
Figure 4. Major Fields of Study for Foreign Students, 2004-2005
Optional Practical Training
8%
Agriculture
Undeclared
2%
Business and Management
3%
20%
Intensive English Language
3%
Other
12%
Education
3%
Social Sciences
9%
Engineering
17%
Mathematics and Computer
Sciences
Fine and Applied Arts
9%
6%
Humanities
Health Professions
3%
5%
Source: CRS Presentation of International Educational Exchange Open Doors Data on 564,766 students.
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Current Issues
After dedicating the past five years to improving security and tracking measures
for foreign students, universities are now gearing their efforts toward attracting
foreign students in high-demand fields of study.
Foreign Students and Funding
A newly emerging foreign student focus is the targeting of students intending
to specialize in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM). This focus is part of a broader movement within higher education that
emphasizes STEM-related skill development.31 Foreign students in these fields of
study represent a particularly attractive demographic for most universities since they
provide skilled assistants and other forms of research labor during their time of study.
Furthermore, undergraduate foreign students pay full tuition and are therefore an
important source of revenues for many universities. This is highly relevant in
discussions of STEM students, because foreign students constitute a significant
portion of the overall STEM student population. For example, data from the
National Science Foundation (NSF) show that in 2004, foreign students on
nonimmigrant visas accounted for 28.4% of all the doctorates in the sciences and
57.2% of all the doctorates in engineering.32 Institute of International Education’s
(IIE) Open Doors data collection shows that STEM students accounted for 33.09%
of foreign students in the 2005-2006 academic year.33
An ongoing point of contention for both STEM and non-STEM alike has been
the availability of fellowships and teaching assistantship funding for foreign graduate
students. Although these foreign graduate students are ineligible for direct aid from
the government, most receive work-supported aid from the universities, where the
funds stem from federally funded research grants to the university. This arrangement
has been an ongoing source of controversy.34 A 2004 study revealed that a greater
percentage of financial support for doctoral students goes to non-U.S. citizens than
to U.S. citizens. According to the survey, 85.5% of temporary visa doctoral
recipients received some form of assistantship, traineeship, fellowship, or dissertation
grant as their primary source of funding. By comparison, similar funding support
was received by 75.9% of permanent visa holders, 61.6% of U.S. citizens, and 69%
31 For discussion on domestic STEM development, see CRS Report RL33434, Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Issues and Legislative
Options, by Jeffrey J. Kuenzi, Christine M. Matthews, and Bonnie F. Mangan.
32 National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Science and
Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2004, NSF 06-308, Project Officer, Susan T. Hill
(Arlington, VA, 2006), pp. 3-6, 66-67.
33 Open Doors 2005: Report on International Educational Exchange, Hey-Kyung Koh Chin,
ed. (New York: Institute of International Education, 2005).
34 See for example House Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims, Impact of Immigration
on Recent Immigrants and Black and Hispanic Citizens, 106th Cong., 1st Sess., Mar. 11,
1999, p.22, prepared statement of Julian R. Betts, Associate Professor, Department of
Economics, University of California, San Diego.
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of all doctoral recipients.35 Minority groups claim to be particularly disadvantaged
by the university support of foreign students.36 Among ethnic groups, approximately
44% of African Americans and 48.3% of American Indians use their own resources
to support their graduate studies, as compared with 32.8% of Caucasians, 32.7% of
Hispanics, and 18.1% of Asian Americans.37
Foreign Students and Language Competence
Complaints have been levied against the support of foreign graduate students
due to the lack of English competence.38 Foreign students are required to take the
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in order to demonstrate that they
could effectively study and provide instruction in English. In Asian countries, such
as China, cases of identity fraud have occurred at the test taking centers.39 Students
with lower levels of English competence have paid others to conduct the test in their
place while falsely presenting themselves as the student seeking admission to a U.S.
institution. Universities have had difficulty determining whether TOEFL scores are
fraudulent until the student actually arrives in the United States. At this time, written
offers of support have already been extended to the student and accepted. Although
English-language competency persists as a problem for many programs, some
university programs have reacted by not admitting any graduate students from
countries with a history of fraudulent TOEFL scores, or requiring additional in-
person interviews and making admission conditional upon successfully completing
such interviews.40
New Pathways to Permanent Residence
Many employers in STEM-related fields find the hiring of U.S. trained alien
graduates to be an enticing prospect because of the diminishing proportion of U.S.
citizens to foreign nationals among STEM-trained graduates. For those students on
F-category nonimmigrant visas, a relationship with an employer can be built through
the use of the optional training period. For up to 12 months after graduation, an F-
35 T.B. Hoffer, V. Welch, Jr., K. Williams, M. Hess, K. Webber, B. Lisek, D. Loew, and I.
Guzman-Barron, Doctorate Recipients from United States Universities: Summary Report
2004 (Chicago: National Opinion Research Center, 2005). (The report gives the results of
data collected in the Survey of Earned Doctorates, conducted for six federal agencies, NSF,
NIH, USED, NEH, USDA, and NASA by NORC), p. 60.
36 See for example House Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims, Impact of Immigration
on Recent Immigrants and Black and Hispanic Citizens, 106th Cong., 1st Sess., Mar. 11,
1999, p. 33, prepared statement of Frank L. Morris, former Dean, Morgan State University.
37 Doctorate Recipients from United States Universities: Summary Report 2004, p. 60.
38 Gravois, John, “Teach Impediment - When Students Can’t Understand the Instructor, Who
Is to Blame?,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, vol. 51, Apr. 8, 2005, p. A10, and
Bollag, Burton, “New Test of English as a Foreign Language Puts an Emphasis on
Speaking,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, vol. 52, Oct. 7, 2005, p. A49.
39 Mooney, Paul. “Chinese Court Reduces Penalty for Pirating Exams.” The Chronicle of
Higher Education, Jan. 14, 2005, p.35.
40 Bollag, Burton. “New Test of English as a Foreign Language Puts an Emphasis on
Speaking,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, vol. 52, Oct. 7, 2005, p. A49.
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visa student can serve as an intern for a United States firm without having to adjust
his or her visa. Some firms find this option appealing because it can help bring in
needed skills without being restricted to numerical limits or the same strict criteria
as the H-1B visa for nonimmigrant professional workers.41
For those students who pursue optional practical training with a U.S. employer,
the training period becomes a valuable opportunity to develop a relationship with an
employer that could eventually result in an employment-based petition for permanent
residence. Any individual wishing to come to the United States as an employment-
based legal permanent resident (LPR) must have the employer submit a petition on
his/her behalf. Because of the diminishing proportion of U.S. citizens to foreign
nationals among STEM-trained graduates, some employers have pushed for the
lengthening of the optional practical training period, as well as the creation of direct
pathways to LPR status for foreign students in U.S. higher education institutions.42
Such proposals are reflected in some recent legislation.
Legislation in the 109th Congress
In the 109th Congress, Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate
passed versions of each chamber’s respective immigration reform bill. In the House,
Representative Sensenbrenner sponsored H.R. 4437, the Border Protection,
Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. This bill largely focused
on border security and increasing the size and resources of the border patrol. As
such, the House verison of the bill contained no practical changes to the foreign
student visas. By contrast, Senator Specter sponsored S. 2611, known more
commonly as the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006. S. 2611
proposed several significant student visa changes, including the creation of two new
student visa categories.
SKIL Act
One of the major foci of S. 2611 is to infuse the U.S. higher education system
and economy with a higher number of foreign students and alien graduates of U.S.
institutions in the STEM fields of study. Title V of S. 2611 includes the “Securing
Knowledge, Innovation and Leadership Act of 2006” (SKIL) sponsored by Senator
Cornyn (R-TX). The SKIL Act would create a new F-4 visa category specifically
designed for foreign students intending to pursue studies in a STEM-related field.
Students obtaining an F-4 nonimmigrant visa would not need to demonstrate an
41 There are many anecdotal accounts of foreign students using the optional practical
training period as a means of creating the necessary employer relations for LPR petitions.
While some policymakers consider this a natural and positive chain of events, others
consider this “F-1 to H-1B to LPR” pathway an abuse of the temporary element of
nonimmigrant status and a way to circumvent U.S. worker protection laws. For more
discussion of the H-1B nonimmigrant visa, see CRS Report RL30498, Immigration:
Legislative Issues on Nonimmigrant Professional Specialty (H-1B) Workers, by Ruth Ellen
Wasem.
42 For example, see “Ease Immigration for Foreign Grad Students,” Minneapolis Star
Tribune, editorial, Nov. 28, 2005.
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intent of departing the United States upon completion of their studies. Similarly, a
new J-STEM nonimmigrant category would be created for advanced students in
higher education cultural exchange programs. In addition to not needing to
demonstrate an intent to depart the United States at the conclusion of their visa
duration, J-STEM visa holders would also not be subject to the two year foreign
residency requirement for a new United States visa to which current J-class visa
holders are subject . Furthermore, all foreign students would be allowed to pursue
off-campus work provided that the employer attempted to first hire a similarly
qualified U.S. citizen for a period of 21 days prior to employment. Employers would
be required to pay foreign students the higher of the average or prevailing wage in the
field of employment.
Alongside the addition of these two visa categories, the SKIL Act would also
remove numerical limits on foreign nationals who obtained a master’s degree or
higher at a U.S. accredited university in any of the STEM fields. This exemption
from numerical limits would not only apply to current and future students. The new
provision would become retroactive for foreign alumni of U.S. universities. From
1993 to 2004, the number of nonimmigrant foreign students who obtained a master’s
degree or higher in a STEM-related field numbered 299,495.43 Figures on how many
of these individuals already hold permanent visas or have naturalized are not
available.
43 Source is the United States Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences,
National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics (Tables and
Figures), 2005.